


you try your hardest to leave the past alone

by TheDeviantSentByJericho



Series: The Ranger Way [2]
Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan, Rangers Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Halt O'Carrick Is A Good Parental Figure Of Sorts, Hurt Will, Hurt Will Treaty, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Nightmares, Parental Halt O'Carrick, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Soft Halt O'Carrick, Softness, Trauma, Will Treaty Has PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:54:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28947021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDeviantSentByJericho/pseuds/TheDeviantSentByJericho
Summary: After Will's suicide attempt, Halt is fed up with pretending everything is okay. Fortunately for Will, he's far from the only Ranger with burdens.
Relationships: Halt O'Carrick & Will Treaty
Series: The Ranger Way [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2122989
Comments: 10
Kudos: 28





	you try your hardest to leave the past alone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Imacatvoid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imacatvoid/gifts).



> now i know i said this would not come out today,,, but when you leave comments you win the heart of the writer ig. basically, i worked on this instead of my original wip or like 8 other wips because you asked and apparently i'm soft lmao

Under normal circumstances, Will would have already been outside, starting training for the day. 

Instead, they were walking back to the cabin in silence, not making eye contact. 

Halt immediately set Will to bed. He was obviously exhausted, drooping with weariness as if the weight of the secrets kept had been removed, allowing the weight of the last few weeks to join the weight of the morning's ordeal in urging him to rest. The apprentice hadn't said anything, merely nodded and disappeared into his room, which was rather unlike him, but then again, he was different now, wasn't he? Everything was different now.

Halt only waited a few moments before following.

He didn't want Will to be alone, and frankly, Will didn't want to be alone either.

  
While Will slept, Halt wrote a letter.

* * *

_Crowley,_

_Before you get too excited about me actually writing of my own accord, let me actually get the words out._

_I need as much information as you have about trauma, depression, anxiety, PTSD, warmweed, and suicidal ideation, as fast as possible. Yes, this includes you._

_It's Will._

_I'm worried._

* * *

Halt signed the letter and set it aside. He'd send it as soon as possible, but for now...

For now he just wanted to remind himself.

Will was alive. He'd gotten there in time. Will was okay. Physically, at least, and now they were on the path to helping him mentally as well.

Halt sunk his head in his hands. Guilt and blame wouldn't help anyone, least of all Will, but he allowed himself a moment anyway before getting up to do the house chores and make food.

Despite everything, the day goes on.

Only a few hours later- not nearly enough to begin making up for Will's recent insomnia- Will began to cry out in his sleep, his body twisting into a strange, unnatural position and shaking intensely. Halt rushed forwards, but before he could do anything, Will bolted upwards with a strangled cry. 

The expression on his face was terrible. His usually lively brown eyes were wide and filled with turbulent emotion, but clouded and sightless. His chest rose and fell sharply.

"Hey, Will, it's me, it's Halt, it's okay, you're safe," Halt did his best to help, sitting close without touching, just in case. "Focus on your breathing for me? You're doing great, you're okay, you're _safe,"_

"Halt?" Will's voice was tremulous and soft, still half in a nightmare. "Yeah?" Softness was _not_ Halt's speciality, but this was Will. No matter what, it was still Will.

"You're... you're not leaving?"

"No. I'm not leaving you. Not ever."

"But I'm broken,"

"No, you're not. And even if you were," Halt paused, trying to think of what the best words would be. "So am I."

Will blinked. "But you're _Halt,_ " 

"Yeah? I've got more than my own fair share of trauma, Will. So does pretty much every other Ranger. Few as bad or as young as you, to be sure, but... You're not alone. And we're not going to kick you out for it," he added.

"Oh."

Months of guilt and shame and pain was released in that single noise, and they both knew they'd be okay. Eventually.

**Author's Note:**

> title for this one comes from heirloom by sleeping at last because that song fits halt @ will so freaking well


End file.
